Lemon Rosemary Roast Chicken

Bone-in breast, roasted hard, sliced and laid over a purée. The rosemary is chopped fine into butter and pushed under the skin where it stays moist and mellow.

Why the rosemary matters here. Rosemary needles exposed to dry oven heat go bitter and brittle. Under the skin they steam in butter and chicken fat, which softens the resin and leaves the pine note without the harshness.

Home kitchen · 4 to 6 servings

• 2 tbsp Fresh rosemary, very finely chopped, plus 4 whole sprigs
• 3 lb Bone-in chicken breasts or a whole bird, spatchcocked
• 5 oz Unsalted butter, softened
• 3 Lemons, zested and halved
• 2 heads Garlic, halved crosswise
• 2 lb Squash or potato, for the purée
• to taste Coarse salt and black pepper

Herb quantities are given in loose cups, not weight — a cup should look like too much before you chop it.

Method

1. 1 Salt the chicken and refrigerate uncovered at least 2 hours, overnight if possible.
2. 2 Mash the softened butter with the chopped rosemary, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Work it under the skin over the whole breast.
3. 3 Roast at 425°F on a bed of halved lemons, garlic and the whole rosemary sprigs, 40 to 50 minutes, until 160°F at the thickest point.
4. 4 Rest 12 minutes while you blend the roasted squash or potato into a smooth purée with some of the pan fat.
5. 5 Slice the breast, lay it over the purée, and finish with the roasted lemon juice and pan drippings.